Smart city colonies in Hyd set to get smarter, unsmart get nothing

Apart from Greater Hyderabad, Warangal has made it to the 'India Smart Cities Challenge' competition, winners of which would get funding from the Union ministry of urban developmentSunil Mungara | TNN | October 25, 2015, 10:05 IST

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has set the process to make Greater Hyderabad 'smart' in motion. But, instead of deploying funds in less developed areas, officials have decided to make areas and colonies where they reside better at the expense of localities crying for attention.

Apart from Greater Hyderabad, Warangal has made it to the 'India Smart Cities Challenge' competition, winners of which would get funding from the Union ministry of urban development.

According to the urban development ministry website, "Smart cities (will) focus on the most pressing needs and on the greatest opportunities to improve quality of life for residents today and in the future." Each city would have to formulate its own unique vision, mission and plan for a 'smart city'. Its concepts must reflect the city's local context, resources, and priorities of citizens. Also, each city must develop a pan-city and area-based proposal to tap funds.

Taking the concept forward, the officials have decided to first develop Punjagutta IAS Officers' Colony, Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers' (TNGO) Quarters at Malakpet, quarters at Errum Manzil colony and General Staff quarters at Patigadda.

The selected areas would get core infrastructure facilities such as adequate water supply, assured electricity supply, sanitation, solid waste management (SWM), efficient urban mobility and public transport., affordable housing (in slum areas), robust IT connectivity and digitization, good governance (mainly e-Governance and citizen participation), sustainable environment, safety and security of citizens (particularly women, children and the elderly), health and education. The central government would sanction funds for development of areas to achieve the objective of the 'Smart City' project.

A five-member team from the ministry of urban development visited the city and conducted a survey. The Hyderabad district administration attached this team to the Survey, Settlement and Land Records Department to assist them in the survey.

"We provided necessary information like land records, maps and other data to the team. The government has selected prime areas including Punjagutta IAS Officers Colony, Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers' (TNGO) Quarters at Malakpet, quarters at Errum Manzil colony and General Staff quarters at Patigadda and three other areas in the city. The state government has identified nearly 150-acre litigation-free government land for development. A few slum areas were also identified, but chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao has to finalise them," sources in the Survey, Settlement and Land Records, Hyderabad, told STOI.

When contacted, deputy director, Survey, Settlement and Land Records, M Gopal Rao said, "The survey is nearly complete. The team will submit its report to the ministry next week."